The Honourable
Jo Luxton
MP
Luxton in 2023
66th Minister of Customs
In office
8 May 2023 – 27 November 2023
Prime MinisterChris Hipkins
Preceded byDamien O'Connor (acting)
Succeeded byCasey Costello
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Rangitata
In office
17 October 2020 – 14 October 2023
Preceded byAndrew Falloon
Succeeded byJames Meager
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Labour party list
In office
23 September 2017 – 17 October 2020
Personal details
Born1973 (age 50–51)
Political partyLabour (2013–present)
SpouseMatt
Children3
RelativesNorman Kirk (great-uncle)

Jo-Anne Marie Luxton (born 1973)[1] is a New Zealand politician and a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Labour Party. From 8 May 2023, she is Minister of Customs in the Sixth Labour Government.

Personal life

Luxton owns and operates the Hinds Early Learning Centre, the first such business in New Zealand to be an accredited Living Wage Employer.[2] She is the great-niece of former Labour Prime Minister Norman Kirk.[1] She is of Māori descent.[3]

In October 2022 she admitted causing a three-car crash in Timaru.[4]

Political career

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2017–2020 52nd List 29 Labour
2020–2023 53rd Rangitata 39 Labour
2023–present 54th List 19 Labour

Luxton stood for Labour in the Rangitata electorate in the 2017 election and was placed 29 on Labour's party list.[5] Luxton did not win the electorate, but entered parliament as a list MP.[6]

At the 2020 New Zealand general election Luxton again ran in Rangitata for the Labour party; and in a surprise victory, defeated National's Megan Hands by a final margin of 4,408 votes.[7] Rangitata had been traditionally regarded as a safe National seat.[8]

Luxton signing the oath during a ceremony at Government House, Wellington, on 1 February 2023 at which she was appointed a parliamentary under-secretary

In a cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on 31 January 2023, Luxton was appointed a Parliamentary Under-secretary to the Ministers of Agriculture and Education.[9] In another cabinet reshuffle by Hipkins on 8 May 2023, caused by Meka Whaitiri resigning from the Labour Party, Luxton was appointed Minister of Customs and Associate Minister for Agriculture and Education.[10]

During the 2023 general election, Luxton was unseated by National MP James Meager by a margin of 10,846 votes.[11] She was however re-elected on the Labour party list.[12]

In late November, Luxton became the spokesperson for agriculture, biosecurity and rural communities in the Shadow Cabinet of Chris Hipkins.[13]

On 5 December 2023, Luxton was granted retention of the title The Honourable, in recognition of her term as a member of the Executive Council.[14]

Views and politics

Cannabis

In mid–September 2020, Luxton announced that she would not be voting in support of the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill referendum, citing her own personal experiences of being in relationship with a person who abused cannabis.[15]

Euthanasia

Luxton has stated that she would be voting in favour of the End of Life Choice Act 2019 during the 2020 euthanasia referendum, citing her belief that people should be able to die with dignity and the experiences of her terminally ill mother.[15]

References

  1. 1 2 Hudson, Daisy (29 August 2017). "Coffee with the candidate: Labour Rangitata candidate Jo Luxton". The Timaru Herald. Stuff. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  2. ↑ Hudson, Daisy (6 July 2016). "Jo Luxton confirmed as Labour's Rangitata candidate". The Timaru Herald. Stuff. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  3. ↑ Malone, Audrey (20 May 2018). "Labour's Jo Luxton 'between two worlds'". Stuff. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018.
  4. ↑ "MP admits causing three-car crash in her electorate". NZ Herald. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  5. ↑ "Revised Labour Party List for the 2017 Election". Scoop. 15 August 2017. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  6. ↑ "Successful Candidates". Electoral Commission. 23 September 2017. Archived from the original on 2 October 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  7. ↑ "Rangitata – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  8. ↑ Holden, Joanne; Littlewood, Matthew (17 October 2020). "Labour's Jo Luxton wins National-held Rangitata, Jacqui Dean holds Waitaki". Stuff. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  9. ↑ "Prime Minister Chris Hipkins reveals Cabinet reshuffle". Radio NZ. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  10. ↑ Whyte, Anna (8 May 2023). "MP Jo Luxton promoted in wake of Meka Whaitiri's Labour exit". Stuff. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  11. ↑ "Rangitata - Official Result". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  12. ↑ "2023 General Election: Successful candidates". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  13. ↑ "Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins reveals new shadow Cabinet". Radio New Zealand. 30 November 2023. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  14. ↑ "Retention of the title "The Honourable"". New Zealand Gazette. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  15. 1 2 "Labour MP Jo Luxton against cannabis legalisation". Stuff. 17 September 2020. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
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